Unit 3
Recap of Previous Class: Psychotropic Medications
General Term: Psychotropic refers to medications affecting mental state, not limited to but including antipsychotics.
Cognitive Therapy: Discussed alongside medication types.
Introduction to Family Therapy
Brief mention of various family therapy approaches.
Focus on Adlerian Family Therapy:
Contemporary focus assisting parents with children's behavioral issues (e.g., ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder).
Not for issues like depression or anxiety.
Key Concepts of Adlerian Therapy:
All family members seek meaning, purpose, and effectiveness.
Disruptive behaviors are viewed as maladaptive attempts to meet family needs.
Reasons for Disruptive Behavior:
To gain attention.
To assert autonomy from parents.
To seek revenge.
To avoid being left alone.
Therapist's role: Identify the purpose behind children’s behavior and guide parents toward effective management strategies.
Family Involvement:
Involves not just the child but also parents and perhaps siblings.
Differences in Psychotherapy for Children and Adults
Motivation:
Adults typically seek therapy themselves, showing a willingness to change.
Children are often referred by parents or teachers and may lack recognition of their issues, resulting in low motivation.
Therapist's Challenge:
Child therapists must work to build trust and motivation.
Low success rates expected due to children's low engagement.
Cognitive Development Differences:
Child therapy techniques often adapted from adult methods, but children may not possess the cognitive skills for these approaches.
Cognitive therapy relies on metacognition, which develops with age.
Young children (e.g., six-year-olds) generally have immature verbal skills, making traditional talk therapy less effective.
Overview of Career Options in Child Mental Health
School Psychologists:
Assess, diagnose, and treat children with cognitive and emotional issues affecting school performance.
Typically hold specialized education degrees or higher.
High demand currently in this career field.
Marriage and Family Therapists:
Focused on treating mental and emotional disorders within the family context.
Typically require a master's degree and work in clinics or private practice.
Introduction to the APA Ethics Code
Provides principles for psychologists' professional conduct.
Purpose of the Code:
Protect the welfare of individuals served by psychologists, including clients and research subjects.
Educate psychologists and student affiliates on ethical practices.
Consequences for Non-compliance:
Possible sanctions from the APA and other oversight bodies.
Structure of the Code:
Introduction
Preamble
Five General Principles
Specific Ethical Standards
Next class will cover the five main principles in detail.